How many models of yours are WIP?

[Jundis]

Hi guys and gals,

lately, I find myself lacking in finishing builds. This may be rooted in some big builds, where the following template often occurs:

1. High motivation: Great idea, start with different builds in stud.io and of front axles crucial mechanisms with physical bricks

2. Medium motivation: Ordering of parts for needed test builds, which are already remodelled, so again, new ordering of part

3. Low motivation: Rebuilding again and getting stuck in some areas, sometimes overhauling and going back to phase 2.

4. Medium motivation: Satisfied with most assamblies and functions, still some left undone.

5 High motivation: Finishing touches.

Sadly, right now I mostly stuck in phase 2 or 3 of my builds, so I am afraid to start new ones.

 

Rearranging my Stud.io files a while ago, I have the folders "ideas", "finished" and "WIP", while the "WIP" includes now 6 different models. And I'm really unsure, if this is too much...

So I am curious how you manage your WIP builds? Only working on one model, finish it, then another one? Or multiple models at once? If so, how much on average?

Just checked Sariel, and he also has this problem: Starting multiple models but finishing some years after :D

Edited February 5, 2023 by Jundis

[howitzer]

I seem to have problems finishing my builds properly. I find high motivation with the initial idea and developing the mechanisms for the model, but once I have solved all the mechanical problems it often feels that there's not much interesting to do anymore, even if the model is barebones and nowhere near finished, perhaps not even working properly. All mechanisms require some testing to make sure they actually work as intended, and the testing-dismantling-rebuilding cycle is sometimes frustrating for me. A part of the frustration stems from the Technic building style where one needs to think many steps ahead and changing some little part in the center of the build requires a huge disassembly and then you'd have to remember how the rest comes back together again etc... Fortunately ABS bends, so sometimes it's possible to simply force the parts apart enough to change it, as opposed to proper disassembly.

Anyway, often I just put the half-finished model aside and sometimes I might eventually finish it, but most of the time they just sit on the shelf for months or even years untouched, until I need some part from the model and take it apart.

I have no idea how to motivate myself to actually finish stuff, except I've found that having a clear deadline put on by someone else helps a lot - that way I cannot procrastinate on the build and I have to either finish the build or leave it completely unfinished. This is why you see little other WIP or finished builds from me, but I'm often participating in contests - those have a deadline, and participating demands a finished build.

Of course significant part of the problem is the fact that between work, family, chores, socializing and rest, I have very little time to work on my models. It can be weeks between building sessions and in that time I forget what I was doing and a part of the session is spent on reminding myself about that. Another source of the problem might be some sort of neurodivergence, perhaps ADHD or something along those lines, it's hard to keep myself focused unless what I'm doing is super-interesting. Unfortunately there are no easy remedies, for that.

[keymaker]

@Jundis if you mention Sariel, you should also be aware about number of tools he provides for AFOLs, one of them is MOC Manager - http://mocs.sariel.pl/

I think this tool can help you out with organizing many MOCs.

In my case, I have already 3 MOCs planned in my head and 4th is emerging, so yea... Many plans but so little time. But for me I try to finish current MOC before I fully get involved the next one. Finishing the MOC for me is the moment I publish it.

[msk6003]

I usually stop making because my design sence.

Hyundai N74 1:10 - chassis done but BW3 current limit problem and exterior problem.

Tamiya hot shot RC - stoped by BW3 problem. Waiting CADA's battery and motor now.

Ferrari 512 M - chassis with 5+R transmission is done. But exterior problem.

TC24 spaceship - also exterior.

DJI robomaster - drive base done, BB bullet shooting done but I don't know how to connect both.

Only have on idea

1st prize in baldi's math - I'm thinking how will make those pipe frame

Tiny desk enginner - I'm thinking string link

Mini AE86 - only tested main drift wheel. now thinking how will make exterior.

Ford escort RS1800 mk.2 - micro chassis tested

Tesla model X - chassis made but not tested

Korean MBT K1A1 - made only gear pack and part of caterpillar

Edited February 3, 2023 by msk6003

[langko]

I have at most 2 models going at once. I can bounce between the projects as I get sick of/stuck on the other one. The good thing about building large scale models is that there's always something to work on. So when you get stuck on one area its easier to pick another area and get a start there. I might have half a dozen WIP sections going but at least they're all for the same model. I have ideas for other models but I don't dare start them until I finish a current one.

[Kostq]

For one time I had 5+ and they all went NOWHERE:
1. Low-boy loader trailer
2. Caterham 7
3. Kirovets K700
4. Russian 6x6 truck
5. Some small MOCs like Xerion Mini spin offs.
6. Big-scale racing truck

Now it's only a skip truck, Caterham 7, Russian 6x6 truck and waiting for inspirations about 42147 and 42148.
Meanwhile - compiling some BUNDLE video/rebrick releases to maximize the already spent development time further...

Singularity made possible stuff like my 42106 mocs be out in a week each.
Splitting brains between 2+ "free time" tasks which have like 30 sub-tasks while also working and driving around and being a supportive member of a bigger picture - it's not sustainable or you don't sleep that much.
I chose the don't sleep approach - it delivers, but makes you very very grumpy.
Also - the media creation process for all MOCs is a MOC out of itself. So your homework has homework. Neat.

Best tip on how to make MOCs is copy others. Sometimes get an OG set, see how its mechanics works - translate it into your parts, see if it fits.
I've done it without shame. Buy/read other people's instructions, sleep over some tough to figure out parts.
Here the more than one MOC WIP situation does help - it "resets" your eyes so you see your MOC as somebody else's and start to improve it in new ways.
Just like watching somebody solve a cross-word - behind someone's shoulder sometimes tasks get easier than if it's in front of you.
You get abominations sometimes, other times pure joy, third time you master the masters and squeeze more stuff in than you expected.

Edited February 3, 2023 by GTS

[Thirdwigg]

I usually have about 3-5 WIP MOCs going at a time. It seems to help me be able to move from one MOC to another depending on where motivation, creativity, and part access converge. I do generally only have one large WIP going at a time, as those take a little more focus. The rest are all smaller builds or build attachments (these 100-200 part builds are a great pallet cleanser for me). If something goes untouched for 6 months, I take a picture, and take it apart. This use to be hard for me, but now I think of it as a sunk cost, and take it apart with no emotion.

I generally only use Studio when the final brick built version is done. Sometimes I will use it to try out a small idea or subbuild, but it takes too much time for me to try things out for a final build in Studio.

Of note, I usually have about 10 completed MOCs built at a time. If I need parts for a WIP, I take one of these completed MOCs apart. But as I type this, I looking at both the Ionos and the U400, and it's going to take a lot for me to take those apart.

[M_longer]

How many? Too much.

[dhc6twinotter]

I always have a bunch going.  Right now I have the following in the works:

-P38 Lightning (currently my main focus)
-CAT Pneumatic Road Grader (started years ago)
-John Deer Forwarder (started years ago too)
-PU JCB Backhoe
-Heavy Duty tow truck
-Wheeled Excavator 

And then I have some other tid-bits:
-7 rotor hub for a Super Stallion
-7 and 9 cylinder radials  

I haven’t done much building the last few years, but I’ve started a new job and moved to a different state, so hopefully I have more time and motivation to build stuff again. 

[Jundis]

Thanks guys. It actually soothes me a little bit, I am not alone struggling here and there ;-)

Funny enough, today I made maybe more progress than the last 2 weeks combined on 2 models, just by freeing my mind, if this makes any sense :D

[gyenesvi]

Nowadays I tend to use Studio more and more for prototype building, and also for going beyond that, for finalizing MOCs. And this really allows me to test many ideas in parallel without worrying about parts and failed protoypes.

As for early prototyping, the first thing I want to see is whether an idea can theoretically be built with lego parts in a given scale/available volume. Many ideas fail already in this stage, and so I don't need to sacrifice parts and time for dismantling on this process. Just delete the file, or sometimes keep it for further refinement, it does not cost anything. If it seems to work out virtually, then I try the key mechanical parts out in real life. I have almost all types of technic parts that I can think of using for the kinds of builds I like, so I don't really need to bricklink parts for this (I do that when new interesting parts appear), and even colors don't matter in this stage. If the build works out in real life, I often get back to studio to build the non-technical parts as well, like bodyworks.

The whole process is much faster for me in Studio than in reality, because iterative redesigning is much faster. No need for dismantling the whole thing just to change a few pins in the middle. It also allows for easier scale modeling, because it makes it possible to position key parts 'in the air' without the need for connecting tissue, and see where they would need to be placed in the final build and how things would look like. This again saves a lot of rebuilding, and you can more clearly see what connecting tissue you need to build. This also allows building from outside in. You get a picture of how the model would look like and how much space there would be left on the inside for mechanisms. The last project I built was almost fully done in studio before I touched any bricks. I started with scaling, built the body, clearly saw how much space I have on the inside, and could design the mechanics accordingly. Even this way, my first idea for the mechanics (car chassis) failed (was too ambitious), but I got it done for the second try.

It also has another advantage: you can work on your model even if you don't have access to physical lego parts and only have a short amount of time. Say you have one hour in the evening (commuting home on train) and you have your laptop with you.. Also, if your time is up, you don't need to clean up your room from lego parts afterwards :)

But to answer the question as well, I mostly have 1-2 models in a stage where it is visible that it will become something. And a whole bunch of half baked prototype ideas built only virtually, maybe some of them tested and dismantled to free up parts. When I get the key mechanical or visual aspect of a build done, and it reaches a stage where I can see that it is doable and only needs more fairly easy work, I try to focus on that one to actually finish it. It is finished when it is tested and published.

Edited February 3, 2023 by gyenesvi

[nerdsforprez]

I think it is a good thing to have several going all at once.  

To create a good MOC, there is a formula.  And in that formula there is Ability, Skill, and the rest is Motivation and Persistence (hard work, etc.).  

Ability is more or less given and does not change much.  Nor is there much control one has over this.  Skill increases with time, is somewhat mutable (within a finite range) but less so the longer one is in the hobby, and one's control over it is more than one has over Ability but only to a degree. But M&P wax and wane ALOT and are incredibly mutable; in other words there is lots that can be done to change M&P when it is low.  The control one has over M&P is high.  

I think switching up ones project, getting on with something fresh and new really affects M&P in a positive way, and is a fairly easy thing to do.... 

Edited February 3, 2023 by nerdsforprez

[Kostq]

As a friend painter said:

"It's art. If it's not budging - go have a coffee, go out, see people. Nobody's life depends on it being done TODAY, so chill :)"

Also - you can fail and scrap projects. It's good. You're still a creator. It frees your head to do the shtuff you really want to do.

I've scrapped an X-wing idea once and it felt AMAZING. Like dropping your backpack while running...

[1963maniac]

I do what Jundis said. Usually the problem is not that I don't have the right parts, It's figuring how to achieve the goal with what I have on hand. Technic builds are that way for me. Oftentimes I solve it when I'm dreaming, literally asleep. My mind is free and when I see the solution, whahoo, I wake up and go build it. YAY!!

[aFrInaTi0n]

9 hours ago, 1963maniac said:

I do what Jundis said. Usually the problem is not that I don't have the right parts, It's figuring how to achieve the goal with what I have on hand. Technic builds are that way for me. Oftentimes I solve it when I'm dreaming, literally asleep. My mind is free and when I see the solution, whahoo, I wake up and go build it. YAY!!

I love the moments where I was working on a issue to be solved and went into the virtual building just in the brains - leaving my body sitting on the couch in kind of an lethargic state until 20 minutes later I stumble out of my headplace with a working concept and am realizing I was caught away for "some" minutes..

But for me its also the same: As soon as a technic issue is solved, the interest directly drops.

[Alex Ilea]

Always when I get a chassis ready I am already thinking of the next project. This does mean that I do tend to finish builds in a longer timeframe that otherwise. This is what I do to keep the motivation going: I watch videos of the real cars on YouTube, throughout the building time. Also very important: when I choose what project to work on, it is always an exciting car for me, and not necessarily for everyone.

[Johnny1360]

I am amazed how similar my experience is to others. I definitely "finish" very few mocs, even though I work on a great number of them, some gather dust for years, lol, then I return to them and either finish or disassemble. Like others once I work out most of the problems, I seem to have little interest in the finishing touches.

Also I tend to keep all my mocs to myself, don't really care about recognition or boring people to death with endless pictures. I do very much enjoy others pictures and reading about their build experience.

[1gor]

Somehow I'm in devil's circle between stage 2 and 3 because last 3 years everything that can go wrong (surrounding me) went wrong or from bad to worse, so whenever i touch Lego some #@$#@ (you know what) happens...

@Jundis I hope  that i didn't make your topic darker that you plan it to be.

Edited February 4, 2023 by 1gor

[GerritvdG]

Nice topic, I have a lot of MOC's that stopped after phase 1, no problem, sometimes I take a photo of the mechanism and then dismantle the project.

When the idea catches me then I usually finish my MOCs, I try to keep my MOCs small (400 parts or less), I think this really helps when you're have not that many years experience and not so much spare time (like me).   

I usually work on one MOC, besides other Lego projects such as building official sets, dismantling sets and sorting/ordering pieces.

[GerritvdG]

It helps to have all your parts organized...  don't you think?

[howitzer]

10 hours ago, GerritvdG said:

It helps to have all your parts organized...  don't you think?

That's an absolute prerequisite for me to build anything. I have absolutely no patience to search for loose parts in mixed boxes or whatever.

[Jundis]

12 hours ago, GerritvdG said:

It helps to have all your parts organized...  don't you think?

Actually, I never had any doubt that MOC builders here sort their bricks... I mean we are semi-pro builders! ;-)

I added a poll just out of curiosity.

[GerritvdG]

2 hours ago, Jundis said:

Actually, I never had any doubt that MOC builders here sort their bricks... I mean we are semi-pro builders! ;-)

True, but I think this often is a pain point for people wanting to start with creating there own Lego models...

[aeh5040]

My most ambitious builds just take a very long time. They require lots of tinkering, looking for inspiration, searching for solutions, which I will do on and off for several years. I usually have 2-3 such models on the go, some perhaps in the very early planning stages.

E.g. I am currently close (I think) to finishing a purely mechanical (as opposed to partly pneumatic) version of my Tower of Hanoi solver. This has been nearly 5 years in the making, and the earlier version probably took a similar period.

Then there are much quicker builds where I have the idea and pretty much build in straight off, or as soon as I can get the parts. There might be 0-3 of these on the go at any time.

Edited February 7, 2023 by aeh5040